Picking up the pieces
by kissesmyloves
Summary: They were a meet cute of sorts-when Jughead Jones had expected to go to the bathroom, he found a perfect, beautiful, blonde girl perched over the toilet bowl, throwing up her dinner. Follow them through a journey of problems, mental health issues, love, and BUGHEAD.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

It was a simple Monday night at Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe, the retro diner that seemed to be Riverdale's version of fine dining. The diner was populated with its usual crowd, sitting in their usual places. On one end of the diner, you find the quartet that you never saw apart-Veronica, Betty (known as B&V), Kevin, and Archie. On the opposite end, just like opposite worlds, sat the Serpents, a rowdy bunch, gnawing through the wonderful burgers and shakes that Pop Tate offered (usually without charge, that kind man.)

"So, tell us B." Veronica said, after slurping on her wonderfully delicious vanilla shake. "How is it being Riverdale High's Lois Lane?" Betty chuckled. It was absolutely terrible. She, stupidly, had to agreed to singlehandedly run the Blue & Gold, which meant that dark circles grew under her eyes and her anxiety and panic attacks worsened. "It's great. It'll look great on my applications, too." She said, trying to remind herself exactly _why_ she was torturing herself-attempting to balance a social life, cheerleading as a River Vixen, and running the Blue & Gold. "Do you ever think about anything other than college?" Kevin asked, rolling his eyes in a teasing way. "Live a little bit." He said encouragingly. Betty smiled wryly. "I'm fine." She responded. "Are you sure?" Archie asked, suddenly leaping out of the blank void his mind had been wandering before. "You haven't touched your burger at _all."_ "I'm not hungry," she said forcefully. "I had a huge lunch." "You weren't at lunch." Veronica pointed out. "I ate at home. My mom made me mac n' cheese. Besides, what is this? Twenty questions?" "Just have a few fries." Archie pleaded. "You must be starving after Cheryl's awful cheerleading practice." His words spoke truth. She was starving, but as she looked down bashfully, she saw the fat on her thighs panned out over the seats. "C'mon, Betty!" Kevin said. "Do it for the team." "Fine." She said, finally caving.

Once she started, she couldn't stop. She ravenously tore through her burger and fries, smiling as her stomach was finally satisfied. But afterwards, waves of guilt and remorse washed over her. She heard her mother's scolding voice. _What are you doing to yourself? You used to be so beautiful and skinny, now you're fat and ugly._ She squirmed in her seat, fingernails digging into her palm due to the stress she had induced on herself. _I'm so stupid,_ she told herself. _I can't lose weight if I can't stop myself from eating a single fucking burger._ No one noticed her sudden silence, and she whispered to Veronica. "I'm going to run to the bathroom." She muttered. "Don't worry if I take long, girl issues." She said slyly and with a wink. Veronica smiled in return. "Don't worry," she said, and scooted out, making room for Betty to run to the single unisex bathroom in the back of Pop's.

Jughead had needed to pee since downing two chocolate milkshakes in a little less than an hour, but was so intrigued with Toni's tale that he waited until it was finished. Once finished, he smiled apologetically at his friends, and said: "Be right back," He half walked and half waddled over to the back of the diner, hoping the bathroom would be open. Luckily, it was unlocked and cracked open. He sighed a breath of relief-if there was a wait; he was absolutely convinced his bladder would explode. He pushed the door open to find a situation too fast to process. The sound of quiet gagging and retching, a bouncing blonde ponytail, a girl, wearing a cashmere sweater, shoulders heaving, body perched over the toilet bowl, puking the remnants of her dinner out.

Betty had done this before-once. She didn't consider herself a bulimic, but she knew how to process worked. She closed the door gently behind her, fastened her ponytail to be a little higher (she simply didn't feel like cleaning her blonde hair of puke), and bent over the toilet bowl. It was simple, she shoved her finger down her throat. Her tears stung her eyes as her entire body shook with exertion. She removed her finger from her throat, upset that her gag reflex had not been triggered. She forced down her throat again, this time overpowered with the want to retch. It felt like her entire dinner had come up-the toilet bowl was filled with her loosely digested dinner. She smiled with content, and repeated the process.

It took Jughead a few moments to process the sight, and Betty a few seconds to realize that a young man was standing behind her. "Excuse me?" Jughead, gently letting her know that he was there. She almost jumped with surprised. Her head turned around so fast that Jughead thought it snapped off. Her eyes widened. "Are you okay?" He asked, approaching her slowly, concern on his face. She scrambled to get her things, which were strewn across the floor. "What's your name?" He asked, trying a different question. She wiped the remaining vomit off her mouth, and whispered: "Elizabeth Cooper-I mean, call me Betty." "Betty? I'm Jughead." She scoffed at the name. "Jughead?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "Trust me," he chuckled. "The real one's worse." "Betty," he said, turning the conversation serious again. (As if it wasn't already.) "Are you okay?" "I'm fine," she quickly responded, shrugging. "I was just nauseous. "So nauseous you stuck your finger down your throat?" He inquired.

 _Shit._ Betty thought. He had seen that. Thoughts raced across her mind with excuses for her bulimic behavior. "I'm sorry." She choked out, attempting to stand up. She almost fainted, but Jughead caught her. "Sit down." He cooed, gently leading her back to the ground. "I've got to get back to my friends." She protested, her brow furrowing with worry. What if they came in here? What if they saw the vomit on the ground surrounding the toilet? "First," he whispered kindly. "Let's get you cleaned up." She nodded, silent tears trailing down her cheeks. He grabbed a couple paper towels and offered them to her. She grabbed them, and wiped the drying puke off her cheeks and collar. "Are you okay?" Jughead probed, placing a hand on her shoulder. Through the layers of cashmere and cotton, he could feel the bone jutting out. "You shouldn't make yourself throw up." He stated. "You're beautiful already." She shook her head in disagreement. "The thing is, Juggie, I'm not."

Jughead's heart fluttered in his own chest, and his stomach was filled with butterflies. He had gone to pee, but was now cradling a tearful (and beautiful) girl in his leather-covered arms. "Betty, you are beautiful. I just met you, and I think you're beautiful." He said, trying to forget how warm he felt when the nickname _Juggie_ rolled off her lips. "Betty Cooper, you just might be the most beautiful creature I've ever seen." She shook her head, sobbing while doing so. "I'm so fat," she complained. "I used to be so thin…"she trailed off. "You're only saying this because you're conscience feels bad for the bulimic girl you saw in the bathroom." _I wish she knew how wrong she was,_ Jughead thought to himself. "Trust me, if you really knew me, you'd know I don't have much of conscience." She smiled dryly.

"What's your name?" "Jughead," he responded, a little hurt that she'd already forgot. "No! Your _real_ name." "You don't need to know that." He said. "Tell me yours, and I'll tell you a little about myself." She smiled, knew it was an offer he couldn't resist. "Forsythe Pendleton Jones III." "Oh, shit." She said quietly, not realizing the hurt expression on his face. "Well, I like Juggie way better." She said, smiling. "Tell me something about you." Jughead whispered. Her fists, which had been clenched in an angry fashion, relaxed, revealing deep, crescent-shaped scars. He gasped, putting the two-and-two together. She rolled her sleeves up, exposing her bony, pipe cleaner arms, which were covered in tiny scars. "Betty…" He said, shaking his head in disappointment. "I've got them too." He shed his leather jacket, revealing that his arms, although much more muscular, were covered in similar scars. They sat there talking for God knows how long, two people desperately needed help who had finally found one they who could help them. That is until Veronica Lodge interrupted their perfect bliss. "Betty Cooper, what the hell do you think you're doing in a bathroom with fucking Jughead Jones?!"


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

"Veronica!" Betty said, almost jumping out of Jughead's arms when she saw her best friends, with looks of surprise and betrayal painted on their faces. Behind the trio stood Sweet Pea, Toni, and Joaquin, a similar expression of betrayal on their faces. Jughead sighed, massaging his temples in exhaustion and exasperation. Veronica walked into the bathroom, her expensive heels clicking against the vintage checkered tile of the bathroom. "Get your hands off her, you serpent trash." Veronica spat, enraged. "What'd you do, drug her?" She asked. "Veronica…" Betty said warily, her face pleading for her friend to show more compassion. Jughead stood so fast that he almost fell. "For your information, Veronica, I didn't drug her, I didn't do anything. In fact-" Betty gave him a warning look that seemed to say: _Don't tell them._ He continued anyway. "In fact, I was here comforting your 'best' friend while you three were debating what Louis Vuitton bag you should get next." "Oh, really?" Veronica asked, a fake sweetness in her voice. Betty and Jughead both knew that Veronica, once provoked into an argument, could be a bitch-a merciless one too. "What trouble were you comforting her about?" "None of your damn business." Betty chirped up. "Veronica, shut the fuck up." She shouted, surprised with her newfound source of rage and sass. "Jughead, you shut up too. It was never any of your goddamn business in the first place." She then simply turned on her heel and walked out of the bathroom as if nothing serious had occurred. But this only made Jughead love her more.

Jughead tossed and turned in his empty and hard bed. Betty Cooper. Elizabeth Cooper. Although many times Riverdale felt as if it was a tiny town, where everyone knew everyone, right now it felt like New York City, and that Betty Cooper could never be found amongst the swarming mass of people that populated his small hometown. Unable to sleep as thoughts of Betty filled his mind, he texted Toni:

 **Jughead: U up?**

 **Toni: please tell me that im not the 'u up' girl.**

 **Jughead: ill take that as a yes then**

 **Toni: jug its fucking one in the morning go to sleep**

 **Jughead: could say the same to u**

 **Toni: whats bothering u then? Its weird for u to be up**

 **Jughead: And its not weird for u?**

 **Toni: Im practically a vampire. Whats botherin u**

 **Jughead: can u come over?**

 **Toni: jug…**

 **Jughead: pls**

 **Toni: fine**

 **Toni: omw *means on my way**

"Jughead?" Toni asked, smiling as she sat on Jughead's lumpy couch. "What, Antoinette?" "You know I'm into girls, right?" "Toni!" Jughead shouted, his cheeks turning tomato-red. "Yes, I knew that." "Ok…" Toni said, unconvinced and smirking. "I wouldn't date you! You're practically my sister!" He added. "And don't flatter yourself, Toni. You're definitely not my type." "Oh, and you have a type? Hitchcock blondes from the northside?" She pushed him playfully. "What's bothering you?" She probed. Jughead smiled sheepishly. "Do you believe in true love?" He asked, blushing. "Holy shit, Jug. The girl was cute and hot, but she wasn't…" "You didn't answer my question." Jughead intercepted. "I guess, Jug. Everyone has got to have someone out there for them." She smiled sympathetically. "You just met her though, Jughead. She probably doesn't even like you back." "Wow, Toni. That was _way_ harsh." "I just don't want your heart broken, Jughead. Like you said, you're my brother. You spent fifteen minutes together in the bathroom, and now you're suddenly head-over-heels in love with her?" "Do you know her well?" Jughead asked forgetting what Toni said and trying to find a way to contact his seemingly true love. "Betty? We're on the same cheerleading squad together." "Talk to her, okay? Tell her Jughead Jones wants to talk." "Jughead…" Toni said, dragging out his name, looking at him symathetically. "Don't be too disappointed if she doesn't love you back, alright? Protect yourself from some heartbreak."

On the other side of town, two friends were also having a conversation in the dead of night, although theirs was very different. "I'm just trying to protect you, Betty!" "He just helped me, Veronica." Betty cried out, exhausted. "There's nothing to worry about." "Betty, you don't understand. I saw the look in his eyes-he looked crazy in love with you." "And you can tell what people feel by their eyes?" Betty asked, squinting with annoyance. Veronica nodded angrily. "He was just being kind. I don't care if he runs with the serpents, V. He's kind." "Betty, I love you like a sister, and so much more than that, but you don't understand." "What don't I understand, Veronica? Every day you sound more like my fucking parents. 'I'm trying to protect you, Betty.' 'You wouldn't understand, Betty.'" Betty retorted. "You know what you don't understand? You don't understand that men like him, men like _Jughead Jones,_ they put on a façade, they pretend to be kind and caring, but underneath, Betty, it is pure evil." Veronica shouted back. "And you would know this how?" Veronica paused for a minute, letting the silence resonate in the air. "Because my father is like that, Betty. Is that enough proof? He presents himself as a caring and loving father, but threatens my mother to get me to testify. That's how I know, B. I learned from my father." She spoke with such force and such pain, that Betty felt pity towards her, and guilt that she argued so much against her. She hadn't even realized how close this hit to home for her best friend. "I'm sorry, V. I truly am." She said, accepting Veronica's embrace. Perhaps she couldn't protect herself from men like her father, but at least she could try to protect Betty.

"Can I talk to you after practice?" Toni asked Betty as they stopped to get a drink. Jughead had told his best friend what Betty and him had discussed in the bathroom last night, and she finally noticed it. When she first met Betty, she had a small (but still sexy) amount of cellulite between her thighs, and they touched. Now, there lay a gaping hole between her two thighs. Her wrists were tiny and bony. She looked as if she were about to collapse from not eating. "Sure," Betty said, afraid that Toni had taken notice of her sudden change in body weight. "I've got a protein bar, want to split it?" Toni offered politely as she pulled it out of her tattered bag. "I'm good," she responded. "I had a huge lunch." Toni was absolutely certain that she'd never seen Betty Cooper eat a bite, but complied. "Your loss," she said, while stuffing her cheeks with oats and chocolate chips, and returning to the squeaky gym floor.

"Betty." Toni's voice echoed in the empty gym. Betty was gathering her things, which had fallen out of her bag when Toni approached her. "Yeah, Toni?" Betty responded, looking up, smiling sweetly. "What'd you want to talk to me about?" "Jughead." Toni said his name firmly, as if he were hers. Betty's cheeks flared red. "I'm sorry about last night, I didn't know you two were…" "We're not dating, Betty, don't worry. He actually wanted me to talk to you." "Me?" Betty asked, surprised. "Yes, you." Betty raised an eyebrow in confusion and apprehension-it was possible that Toni could be pranking her. "He really likes you, Betty." Toni said earnestly. "You should've heard him last night, he rambled to all the guys in the bar how 'he'd met the perfect girl.' I've never heard him or seen him smile and laugh so much." Betty couldn't keep the smile from creeping onto her face. Her cheeks turned cherry red and Toni couldn't help but laugh. "You like him too, don't you?" Betty shook her head, blushing. "You do!" Toni said. Betty rolled her eyes, but nodded slightly. "In that case, then," Toni smiled. "He asks for your number." "You have paper?" Betty asked. Toni shook her head. "I prefer to call myself the human canvas-it's better for the environment too." She chuckled, while handing Betty a pen. Betty quickly scribbled her number onto Toni's arm. "I've got to go," Betty said, running out of the gym. "Tell Juggie I said hi!" Toni grinned at the fact that Betty already called Jughead a nickname, an action she thought of as true love.

Later that night, while Betty lay on Jughead's couch in his trailer, asleep and dreaming of her newfound love, the entire four grades of Riverdale High were talking amongst themselves about the new viral photo that seemed to be circulating the Riverdale internet-one of Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones.


	3. Chapter 3

(I'm sorry the past chapters have been rlly short)

CHAPTER THREE:

 **Veronica: holy shit, betty.**

 **Betty: what its so late go back to sleep**

 **Veronica: I warned u betty. Y did u sleep with him**

 **Betty: I didn't sleep with Jughead, v**

 **Betty: don't be stupid**

 **Veronica: that's not what everybody else thinks**

 **Betty: what do u mean by that?**

 **Veronica: check ur phone, b**

Betty did as she was instructed, and was horrified to find a picture of herself resting her head on Jughead's naked chest. The caption, which emphasized the mortifying effect: _serpent king found his serpent slut._ She almost screamed, and her shoulders heaved with sobs. She felt her fingernails, which had become bloodied, digging the fresh wounds on her palm. She winced at the pain, but didn't stop.

 **Betty: how did they get that?**

 **Veronica: I warned u betty its dangerous**

 **Betty: did u and archie do this?**

 **Veronica: god no, id never hurt u**

 **Betty: then who did?**

 **Veronica: toni? She and Jughead seem pretty serious**

 **Betty: but this hurts Jughead too…**

The blood from her wounds was streaming onto the screen of her phone, but she didn't care. The pain felt numb to her.

 **Veronica: im so sorry betty I promise ill catch the bitch who did this**

 **Betty: thanks. Ik thats supposed to make me feel better**

 **Veronica: ur welcome :)**

 **Veronica: I don't mean to probe…**

 **Veronica: but r u at Jughead's house? like rn?**

 **Veronica: Betty?**

 **Betty: yes. I am**

 **Veronica: Why?**

 **Betty: It's a long story…**

 **Veronica: Ive got plenty of time**

 **Betty: you know how there were break ins in my neighborhood?**

 **Veronica: and?**

 **Betty: I thought I was getting to broken into...freaked out**

She didn't tell Veronica about her full-blown panic attack. She didn't tell that her heart was pounding in her chest so fast she thought it was going to explode. She didn't tell her about the crescent moon shaped scars that were permanently embedded in her palms due to stress and panic.

 **Veronica: how does Jughead relate to this?**

 **Betty: I txted him that I freaked out and he offered me to come over…**

Betty distinctly remembered when she saw the vehicle that he pulled up in. A motorcycle, it was beautiful, she wouldn't deny that, the shiny mental gleaming underneath the setting sun, but she knew it was a death machine. He smiled at her surprised look. "You asked me to pick you up," he said, smiling. He offered her helmet, and she put it on. Although it was too big, it felt as if it fit perfectly. "Hold on tight." He instructed. She nodded, and wrapped her thin arms around his lightly toned stomach.

 **Betty: and we jst fell asleep**

 **Betty: nothing else. i swear**

 **Veronica: u know that's not what everybody else is going to think**

 **Veronica: I have so many questions tho**

 **Betty: what?**

 **Veronica: how did he get ur number?**

 **Betty: Toni gave it to him**

 **Vernoica: o wow. He must really love u. u met two days ago, and hes already inviting u over when ur scared.**

 **Betty: shut up**

 **Veronica: betty, did u tell Jughead yet?**

 **Betty: hes still sleeping.**

Betty was still crying. Her eyes, which were bloodshot and puffy, kept shedding tears. Who would know she was here? Who would want to leak the photo? Although she was unaware if she possessed any enemies (other than Chuck Clayton and Cheryl), she was sure Jughead Jones, leader of the serpents, had a long and lengthy list. Worries ran through her mind…school tomorrow. She was afraid to face it, yet she still wanted to show her face, to demonstrate that cyber bullying does not scare her. She knew it would be hell, but Betty Cooper is not a coward.

 **Veronica: u have to tell him, betty.**

 **Betty: y?**

 **Veronica: let him find it out from u, not from others**

 **Betty: I don't want to wake him up he sleeps rlly peacefully**

 **Veronica: u should.**

 **Betty: u promised me u would protect me, rite?**

 **Veronica: of course, b.**

 **Betty: im going to come to school tomorrow. But will u protect me?**

 **Veronica: u don't have to ask. Im sure that kevin, archie, me will protect u**

 **Betty: and jughead**

 **Betty: Who would even know I went to his house?**

 **Veronica: idk**

 **Betty: Im going to tell him. Now. Idc if hes mad at me for waking him up.**

 **Veronica: good luck**

"Jughead?" Betty's soft voice rouses him, and he rubs his eyes. It sounds like she has been crying. "Betty?" He whispers. "It's still dark out, go to sleep." "No, Jughead." She chokes out, sobbing. "Betty? What's wrong?" He sits up, and flips the bedside light on. It lights up the room. Betty's cheeks are puffy and red, her eyes bloodshot and teary. "Oh, God, Betty! What's wrong?" He sees her palms, which are gushing with blood. She tries to tell him, but ends up sobbing onto his shoulder instead. "Look at your phone," she says, her voice cracking. He cradles her bloody hands in his, and grabs his phone, which is resting on the mess of his bedside table. Countless push notifications are stacked on his lock screen. Then he sees it. The picture. The caption. "Serpent king found his serpent slut?" He says aloud, wrath creeping into his voice. "Who the fuck did this?" He asks, enraged. Betty shook her head and shed yet another tear. "I don't know," she whispers, looking up at him with red and puffy eyes, giving him a look that makes his heart collapse. "Let's get you cleaned up." He decides, attempting to regain his composure. She nods, tears falling onto his sheets as she does. He runs to the kitchen, and returns with a wet paper towel and Band-Aids. He gently caresses the wounds with the towel, cleaning the blood off of her hands. He lightly presses the Band-Aids onto her palms, and gives her a peck on the cheek. "All better now?" She nods solemnly. "I'll find who did this," he promises her, stroking her palms. "Jughead?" "Yeah?" "D-did Toni do this?" "What! No, no, no! Toni would never try to hurt me-or you." "She's the only one who knew I was here." "So? Some kids were probably snooping around the southside and saw you. No big deal." "It is a big deal, Jughead. I probably shouldn't even come to school tomorrow. Wait for this to blow over. I like being invisible." She told him. "Oh, Betty Cooper. You think you are invisible?" She nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. "I'm sure the entire school knows who you are. You're beautiful, a river vixen, smart, and…sensational. You are the complete opposite of invisible." He smiled sincerely at her, and hugged her bony body as they embraced.


End file.
